diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/audio/alsa.nix b/nixos/modules/services/audio/alsa.nix
index e53da4b64e7b..b002cb1274ac 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/audio/alsa.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/audio/alsa.nix
@@ -106,7 +106,8 @@ in
         serviceConfig = {
           Type = "oneshot";
           RemainAfterExit = true;
-          ExecStart = "${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/mkdir -p /var/lib/alsa";
+          ExecStartPre = "${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/mkdir -p /var/lib/alsa";
+          ExecStart = "${alsa-utils}/sbin/alsactl restore --ignore";
           ExecStop = "${alsa-utils}/sbin/alsactl store --ignore";
         };
       };